Tori's journey from rescue to service dog and back is well documented in her website. These are the conversations from the beginning with Marilyn
February 3, 2006
February 3, 2006
********Do you know what happened to you that caused your back to hurt? Is it better now after Maryna worked on you? Do you know if you had an accident that caused your tail to be out of line? Is there something else wrong with your back? What can I do to help you? Oh…she got it (Marilyn said) (Marilyn didn’t know why HER back was hurting but often she gets pain in her body where the dogs pain is)
It has something to do with when she was born. Maybe an accident or like a human breach birth. There is muscle pain and ice on would make it feel better. She still has pain but it’s better. Doesn’t feel like a pinched nerve. It’s probably out of alignment and a chiropractor would help. It’s painful and sometimes restricts movements. When she twists she feels it more. Drive takes over when she’s running so she runs fast and ignores the pain. (This is exactly what medical people told me. I subsequently took her to a chiropractor who did some treatment and she seemed to feel better)
********Do you like being a Therapy Dog like you seem to? If you could get along with Teddy there would be more places you could go but you terrorize him. Why do you act like such a bully? You could have so much more fun if you got along with him. She doesn’t think that Teddy likes her. She’d like therapy work and likes to work with kids. (maybe 11-12 year olds) Maybe cancer patients. She has lots of compassion and is very people oriented. Probably she’s a young soul. (The first evaluation she had at the hospital I let her go in the room where there were a number of people sitting around. She went from one to the other and Kim and I just stood there and watched her because she seemed like it was so natural for her)
**********Why do you eat everything (stuffed animals/rubber toys)? She frustrated and bored because my attention is divided among all the dogs. Maybe she’d be better in a home with no other dogs.
********What can I do to make your life happier? Do you like to snuggle or do you do it to make me happy? She really likes it because it’s where she relaxes and can forget about the other dogs.
……She thinks she’s at a WAY STATION and this isn’t a permanent home for her which is why she doesn’t feel the need to get along with other dogs. (Marilyn asked how long I had her before she told me this and was surprised when I said 2 years because of Tori saying it is a temporary home)
She doesn’t have much use for the other dogs. They were here first and THEY made it clear (mannerisms) that she is an outsider. She likes people and she’s here to work with people. No knowledge of dog skills and sees no use for it. She doesn’t know dog body language. She tried to talk to them but she always feels like an outsider. Why should she try to make friends? Ari (who has said she’s the princess and he feels sorry for her) is smart enough to know he’s the favorite of the 2 and lets her get away with things. He picks his battles.
(At this time I burst in to tears because I had been thinking that she needed to be an only dog and it wasn’t fair for me to keep her and not pay attention to her) The next evening I verbalized to someone that I need to find a home for her and that if it took a year I would wait until I found the perfect one. That was a Saturday and on Monday the perfect home presented itself. She would be a Psychiatric Service Dog for a woman who lived alone and would go with her everywhere)
It has something to do with when she was born. Maybe an accident or like a human breach birth. There is muscle pain and ice on would make it feel better. She still has pain but it’s better. Doesn’t feel like a pinched nerve. It’s probably out of alignment and a chiropractor would help. It’s painful and sometimes restricts movements. When she twists she feels it more. Drive takes over when she’s running so she runs fast and ignores the pain. (This is exactly what medical people told me. I subsequently took her to a chiropractor who did some treatment and she seemed to feel better)
********Do you like being a Therapy Dog like you seem to? If you could get along with Teddy there would be more places you could go but you terrorize him. Why do you act like such a bully? You could have so much more fun if you got along with him. She doesn’t think that Teddy likes her. She’d like therapy work and likes to work with kids. (maybe 11-12 year olds) Maybe cancer patients. She has lots of compassion and is very people oriented. Probably she’s a young soul. (The first evaluation she had at the hospital I let her go in the room where there were a number of people sitting around. She went from one to the other and Kim and I just stood there and watched her because she seemed like it was so natural for her)
**********Why do you eat everything (stuffed animals/rubber toys)? She frustrated and bored because my attention is divided among all the dogs. Maybe she’d be better in a home with no other dogs.
********What can I do to make your life happier? Do you like to snuggle or do you do it to make me happy? She really likes it because it’s where she relaxes and can forget about the other dogs.
……She thinks she’s at a WAY STATION and this isn’t a permanent home for her which is why she doesn’t feel the need to get along with other dogs. (Marilyn asked how long I had her before she told me this and was surprised when I said 2 years because of Tori saying it is a temporary home)
She doesn’t have much use for the other dogs. They were here first and THEY made it clear (mannerisms) that she is an outsider. She likes people and she’s here to work with people. No knowledge of dog skills and sees no use for it. She doesn’t know dog body language. She tried to talk to them but she always feels like an outsider. Why should she try to make friends? Ari (who has said she’s the princess and he feels sorry for her) is smart enough to know he’s the favorite of the 2 and lets her get away with things. He picks his battles.
(At this time I burst in to tears because I had been thinking that she needed to be an only dog and it wasn’t fair for me to keep her and not pay attention to her) The next evening I verbalized to someone that I need to find a home for her and that if it took a year I would wait until I found the perfect one. That was a Saturday and on Monday the perfect home presented itself. She would be a Psychiatric Service Dog for a woman who lived alone and would go with her everywhere)
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February 17, 2006 (The following is an email from Marilyn on 2/17/06 after she “talked” with Tori after Tori met and spent some time with the woman who she would be working with and my comments)
From what I understand form Tori she is very relaxed and at ease with this new person. And at ease in general – as in more comfortable that things are progressing.
Email from Angie (the gal that trains service dogs) regarding the meeting with Joanne and Tori last week: I don't know how to explain it, but when I looked into Tori's eyes when I went to greet her, she spoke volumes, and I had a good feeling about her new path.
She likes the woman she will be working for and the daughter as well. The older woman doesn’t have too much experience with dogs – kind of an old-school mentality, like when dogs were allowed to roam the neighborhood freely and formalized training wasn’t necessary, dogs just seemed to learn through osmosis.
Confirmed and it’s true.
The interesting thing is that this doesn’t bother Tori, because she is patient enough to work with this woman and says that she can learn through the sheer intent of the woman’s desire for Tori to ‘get it.’ Yes, things would be different at the new place, but Tori will be relied upon more to use her head to figure things out without normal positive or ‘marker/clicker’ guidance and that is okay with her. :
Email from the Angie: Interesting about Tori. Funny, but I wasn't planning on using clicker or marker words with Joanne, as I felt it would have been too much for Joanne.
She will assume a role of a support dog and she likes being the ‘go to’ girl. She likes that idea of this responsibility. She would like any assistance you can offer the people about training and working with the dogs, but don’t be discouraged if they don’t follow all of your plans. Their hearts are in the right place and they will do right by her. The daughter seems to have a better understanding of dog training, having formally trained a few (2?) dogs herself (perhaps not to title, but in formal classroom setting with guidance from a qualified instructor).
YUP….2 Bernese Mountain Dogs… one she had put down on Friday at 5 years old….cancer…. She thought maybe she could put a CD on Tori and that would her mother involved in an activity which she desperately needs. She is not qualified to train a guide or service dog though and I would encourage you to get her help with this responsibility (or point her to an organization that will help). Trish told me on Sunday that she had hired Angie…. The older woman could also use some support/training on how to control Tori in social situations if the dog is going to go with her to places as a service dog Email from Angie: I also have a lot of material that is easy to understand about canine behavior so that she can better relate to Tori. The first year can be a bit of a roller coaster ride for the "team", but with support, and a lot of guidance, I feel they will be successful.
nd the older woman will need to be able to verbalize that the dog is working, not a toy for other people to pet, touch handle – the woman will need to be firm with humans! Tori encourages you, Laurel, saying that you are doing the right thing.
She’s probably telling me this because she’s tired of licking tears from my face.
She would like to have time to work with you (maybe occasional SchH work, if she’s done that in the past) if it works for both families. She wants you to know that there are aspects of living with you that she will miss – your knowledge of dogs and the extra-curricular activities your dogs are involved in – but she also knows that her mission is working in a one-dog home and taking care of people. She would still like to be involved with therapy dog work, which is her desire, but will be mutually beneficial from a social standpoint for her new handler.
Yup….that’s in the plan… She already is registered with Therapy Dogs, Inc. and I’ll certify them as a team. Trisha and her dog are also a registered team so most likely they will visit the hospital together. That’s life according to Tori – hope that makes sense. Let me know if I got all your questions answered. Marilyn Tokach 952-226-2622 www.Pure-Spirit.com
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From Angie who will trains service dogs and will train Tori and Joanne….. Interesting about Tori. Funny, but I wasn't planning on using clicker or marker words with Joanne, as I felt it would have been too much for Joanne. I also have a lot of material that is easy to understand about canine behavior so that she can better relate to Tori. The first year can be a bit of a roller coaster ride for the "team", but with support, and a lot of guidance, I feel they will be successful. I don't know how to explain it, but when I looked into Tori's eyes when I went to greet her, she spoke volumes, and I had a good feeling about her new path.
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Tori conversation – Marilyn 3/28/06 Something’s not settling well in her stomach. She could be constipated and not having regular bowel movements…. It could affect her back end. Does she eat a lot of cheese? She’s getting a lot of crap to eat. It seems to me (Marilyn) in the mid back 5 vertebrae from shoulder on left and it feels like a pinched nerve. It could be originating from spine and does grip left side. 2 more vertebrae to right side same thing. Other place is her rear left hip like she has fatigued muscles or around joint. Could be overuse but she’s out of shape. A chiropractic adjustment would probably help. Also, there’s tension by her head where her spine attaches to occipital. 2 more vertebrae to right side same thing. Other place is her rear left hip like she has fatigued muscles or around joint. Could be overuse but she’s out of shape. A chiropractic adjustment would probably help. Also, there’s tension by her head where her spine attaches to occipital.
Regarding the incident last week: Marilyn sees a teenage male surprising her and maybe coming up from the back and touching her. It was too rough and Tori thought rude and hurtful. No one really saw it happen. Regarding her new place: She feels appreciated but not useful and would like to be more useful. Part of it is she doesn’t get to work and there’s nothing to do. She feels like a companion dog for a sedentary person and it’s not what she had anticipated. She likes the new person and the one on one attention but needs to be more active. They sit around a lot. She’s bored.
And then she said the pain in back is really intense and feels like pinched nerve. Trainer (Angie) can insist on more activity. One time a week is not enough for Tori and there should be more each day.
And then she said the pain in back is really intense and feels like pinched nerve. Trainer (Angie) can insist on more activity. One time a week is not enough for Tori and there should be more each day.
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Conversation with Marilyn November 2008What’s going on? Feels bad physically – something with her butt – seems like anally and muscles in hips holding really tight….pressure around her body like wearing a belt – spine doesn’t feel loose and supple actually kind of immobile – head/mind fine… lucid – may or may not have a yeast infection in private parts… scale 40 of 100 – how she feels …. Back end horrible… low back above tailbone … still itches… feels worst – feels like someone pushing down on low back… chiropractor care for it would help.
What happened? …
…..She loved Joanne and being there for her but there is sadness and a heavy heart. She couldn’t continue to support her the way she needed to be supported. …….They were co-dependant – have to feel sorry for everyone involved – somewhat abusive – Joanne chose to stay in hell she was in because that was what she knew. …….Joanne could have taken more responsibility than she did. No judgment on Joanne …….Tori felt like she was in like a box – small apartment or just energy like in a box. She felt trapped and it was dark with no hope. …….Tori just couldn’t take it and the work was killing her literally – because she couldn’t be the support Joanne needed there was animosity and polar issues. …….Tori would have died had she stayed - she needed a way out and that was the only way. …….And then I came – an angel she said – like a light coming to her – then didn’t know what to do because she was so happy – life is worth living – rescued from the abyss she had fallen in to. …….In some ways she feels that she failed Joanne – huge sadness… It’s wasn’t the job she thought it was. She went into it thinking it would be one thing and it was totally different and she stuck with it to try to make it work. Not as glamorous as she expected it to be and glamorous may be the wrong word but she didn’t expect it to be so dark (keeps mentioning how dark).
Were you abused? Joanne probably squeezing or twisting Tori… very dark… Wants to live now?? Yes if it’s the right situation – or anything like it. (Told her about the lady in Madison) That would be great as long as she can come and visit and run with the dogs. It’s so exciting to do that. She needs to be with a one dog person. Likes to run free and play. Do you want surgery? (I said she’ll feel worse)
How silly - how could it be worse? 2 weeks ago she thought she was coming here to die. When I brought her back she was ready to die and she wanted to die in presence of love and caring. Then she decided being here with me was kind of fun and she didn’t want to die anymore. She said it’s important for me to know I wouldn’t have been wrong to euthanize her – things change nothing is permanent – when came back to die she was looking for a way out. It was time to wipe this slate clean and start over. (reincarnate)
What does she want to tell me?
What happened? …
…..She loved Joanne and being there for her but there is sadness and a heavy heart. She couldn’t continue to support her the way she needed to be supported. …….They were co-dependant – have to feel sorry for everyone involved – somewhat abusive – Joanne chose to stay in hell she was in because that was what she knew. …….Joanne could have taken more responsibility than she did. No judgment on Joanne …….Tori felt like she was in like a box – small apartment or just energy like in a box. She felt trapped and it was dark with no hope. …….Tori just couldn’t take it and the work was killing her literally – because she couldn’t be the support Joanne needed there was animosity and polar issues. …….Tori would have died had she stayed - she needed a way out and that was the only way. …….And then I came – an angel she said – like a light coming to her – then didn’t know what to do because she was so happy – life is worth living – rescued from the abyss she had fallen in to. …….In some ways she feels that she failed Joanne – huge sadness… It’s wasn’t the job she thought it was. She went into it thinking it would be one thing and it was totally different and she stuck with it to try to make it work. Not as glamorous as she expected it to be and glamorous may be the wrong word but she didn’t expect it to be so dark (keeps mentioning how dark).
Were you abused? Joanne probably squeezing or twisting Tori… very dark… Wants to live now?? Yes if it’s the right situation – or anything like it. (Told her about the lady in Madison) That would be great as long as she can come and visit and run with the dogs. It’s so exciting to do that. She needs to be with a one dog person. Likes to run free and play. Do you want surgery? (I said she’ll feel worse)
How silly - how could it be worse? 2 weeks ago she thought she was coming here to die. When I brought her back she was ready to die and she wanted to die in presence of love and caring. Then she decided being here with me was kind of fun and she didn’t want to die anymore. She said it’s important for me to know I wouldn’t have been wrong to euthanize her – things change nothing is permanent – when came back to die she was looking for a way out. It was time to wipe this slate clean and start over. (reincarnate)
What does she want to tell me?
Initially she said “you’re the mom” She said that she watched an internal struggle – a moral struggle in the last few days and she had internal anguish observing me. However she is not sorry about it because it was a huge opportunity for personal growth (mine) like a flower opening. She says that whatever I do will be the right thing because she’s seen it before.
November of 2008 she went to live with Merle. I saw her on her birthday in January which was the last time. There have been several times I talked with Marilyn documented below.
February 10. 2009 ...... “Very content” “Very comfortable” “She wishes she saw me more often but she’s very comfortable where she is.”
This is what she said to Marilyn today and it made me feel VERY good. I know she’s in the best place she can be but I still think about her every day….
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November of 2008 she went to live with Merle. I saw her on her birthday in January which was the last time. There have been several times I talked with Marilyn documented below.
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February 10. 2009 ...... “Very content” “Very comfortable” “She wishes she saw me more often but she’s very comfortable where she is.”
This is what she said to Marilyn today and it made me feel VERY good. I know she’s in the best place she can be but I still think about her every day….
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Tori
· She seems scattered…. A little fearful probably from being scattered. Maybe drugs.
· There’s a scared feeling about her.
